If you’re like most massage therapy students, you may be returning to school for the first time in years. In fact, 82 percent of students who start a massage therapy program do so as a second career, according to the American Massage Therapy Association.

It’s OK to have a few apprehensions about returning to school. You’re not alone. At our campus, which includes otherundergraduate and graduate level programs, NUHS has many resources available to help students succeed. And, they do succeed, as evidenced by the NUHS graduates who consistently score above state and national averages on their state licensing board exams.

National University offers a rigorous massage therapy program that can make all the difference in passing board exams and having a successful career no matter what massage therapy profession you choose.

High quality and accessible instructors

At a campus with multiple degree programs, several massage therapy instructors also teach graduate-level coursework. This expertise allows students to gain a better understanding of massage therapy and to learn above and beyond their coursework, if they choose.

Faculty members are also approachable and accessible outside of the classroom. If you don’t understand the material, they are very willing to work with students one-on-one.

Anatomy classes also include teaching assistants, who are available during lab to go over anything that you didn’t understand from the instructor’s lecture. Hearing the information presented in multiple ways increases your ability to learn in the classroom so you don’t have to study as much outside of the classroom.

Peer tutoring opportunities

Peer tutoring is offered on demand through the Office of Student Services free of charge. A typical peer tutoring session may help clarify points from lectures, labs, group discussions or assigned readings.

During orientation, a schedule of tutoring sessions and list of tutors is given to each student and is posted each week on the online room calendar. Peer tutors are top students chosen by course instructors who meet stringent academic qualifications. Having already completed the course, they have insight on what will be expected of you in your exams. MT students also benefit from tutors in the NUHS first professional programs who have experience in graduate level health sciences and sometimes provide tutoring assistance.

Needing a tutor doesn’t necessarily mean you are struggling either. Many of the “A” students utilize tutors because they want to make sure they maintain their high grades.

Student clubs and organizations

NUHS is home to a wide array of student clubs and organizations that are open to students in all academic programs. In addition to socializing, clubs can help deepen your understanding of coursework by giving you the chance to participate in a variety of community health outreach events.

Students also use club meetings to share study tips, ways to relax and other inspiration to helpkeep you motivated. A wide range of guest speakers from alumni to the presidents of professional associations frequently give lectures to clubs as well. Listening to their advice can often help prepare you for the realities of the profession.

Interactive study tools at the Learning Resource Center

A campus that’s home to graduate-level programs means you have access to a higher caliber of learning tools that will help facilitate your studies. For example, you will learn from studying human cadavers in the anatomy lab, and you will have access to the Anatomage Table, a life-size 3D interactive and visualization table for anatomical study. Students can use this tool to study for exams and to enrich both textbook and classroom learning. Set up in the NUHS Learning Resource Center, the table is available for individual, clinical and group study.

The Learning Resource Center, one of the region's largest libraries devoted to the health sciences, provides you with a long list of study aids. Even off-campus, students have access to hundreds of journals and ebooks. Massage therapy students in particular can benefit fromeducational videos featuring various massage techniques.

NUHS recognizes that having a successful educational experience is about more than just the time you spend in the classroom. These additional resources are part of the reason NUHS students’ overall pass rate is consistently above state and national averages. In addition to successfully passing the exams, these resources help ensure an enjoyable educational experience, as well.

National University of Health Sciences is here to help you start your journey towards becoming a massage therapist! Check out ourfreeresource for career insight and advice.

Recommended for you

Victoria Sweeney has worked at National University for over 11 years as Director of Communications and Enrollment Services. She oversees admissions and recruitment for the university as well as the communications and marketing functions. She earned her Master of Education in Higher Education Administration from the University of Houston and her Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Miami University.